Sure, the marketers working in travel, wine, jewelry and fast cars have an easier time coming up with “sexy” topics to write about. Their business are, by and large, pretty “sexy.” But that doesn’t mean content marketing won’t work for you – even if you’re in the most mundane of businesses.
Let’s take plumbing, for example. You might say, I can’t think of too many people who’d rather talk plumbing than exotic travel destinations.” You’d be wrong. Here are two examples.
The Consummate Professional
As in any industry, there are people who find themselves working as plumbers because they fell into it or because they’re continuing on in the family business or for some other uninspired reason. But (again, as in any industry) you’ll also find people who are really passionate about what they do. They love their jobs, and take great pleasure at performing them well. They want to know more about new and better ways to solve the problems their customers bring to them.
These people are very motivated to read anything you produce that helps them stay on top of their game. Is a new type of valve going to make the front page of The Wall Street Journal? No, it’s not even likely to make the front page of your local paper. But it’s still big news to people who earn their living by knowing that the new valve is out there, and knowing why it’s an improvement. That’s exciting stuff, if not exactly the stuff of riveting cocktail party conversation.
The Consumer in Need
Your 2 year old has just flushed the better part of a whole roll of toilet paper down the toilet. And flushed and flushed and flushed. As much as your mind would like to be in Barbados, it’s probably right there in the bathroom with you, ankle-deep in toilet water. If a website can provide you with an understandable explanation for how to fix your problem – or at least minimize it until you can get a professional plumber – you’re going to be very interested.
And if you find that helpful advice on the website of a local plumber, guess who’s most likely to get the call for help?
And who is our professional plumber going to call when he needs parts and supplies – the folks whose content is limited to price lists and inventory? Or the folks who demonstrate over and over that they get the problems they are trying to solve for their clients every day.
Whatever industry you’re in, the same rules apply. (Hopefully, with a bit less drama than an overflowing toilet.) Focus your content marketing efforts – in fact, all of your marketing efforts – on issues that address the problems your customers are trying to solve and your marketing and your business will be successful, even without gorgeous sandy beach pictures.
